The civil war in
Ethiopia, from 1974 to 1991, which resulted in the death of Emperor Haile Selassie and a
diaspora of Ethiopians around the world, caused an interregnum which, until 1996, meant
that few Imperial Orders or Decorations were issued. This was compounded by the
dislocation, and subsequent re-establish-ment of the Crown in exile, and the deterioration
of the health of Emperor Amha Selassie I. In order to begin
preparing the Monarchy for a return to Ethiopia, Emperor Amha Selassie restructured the
Crown Council and authorised it to take over many of the functions of the Crown. Upon the
death of the Emperor, in January 1997, and in accordance with the Constitution promulgated
before the 1974 civil war, the Crown Council now has devolved upon it all the
responsibility for Imperial Orders, Decorations, Appointments and Titles.

At present, the
President of the Crown Council, HIH Prince Ermias
Sahle-Selassie, and the Viceroy, HIH Prince Bekere
Fikre-Selassie, are individually Grand Masters of most of the Imperial Chivalric Orders,
except where noted.

In
recent years, descendents of other branches of the Solomonic line — such as
descendents of Lij Iyasu, who was removed from office in 1916 just before the
coronation of Empress (Negeste-Negestate) Zauditu as Empress — have attempted
to claim titles such as “Crown Prince of Ethiopia”, and to issue Imperial
decorations. Titles such as Crown Prince must be authorised by a serving Emperor and/or
the Crown Council, and only serving Heads of the Ruling Family or — during an
interregnum — the Crown Council have the authority to confer Imperial honours and
titles, as confirmed by the Imperial Constitution, a fact confirmed by the last Imperial Afe-Negus
and Minister of Justice, Afe-Negus Teshome Haile-Mariam to this author.1
No other member of the Imperial Family at present has the right to issue Imperial Honours
other than the Crown Council through its President, who is advised by his Honours
Committee to which all proposals for recognition are submitted.

The following Orders
comprise the pantheon of Imperial Honours currently sanctioned and under the authority of
the Crown Council of Ethiopia:

Links
to other websites - not affiliated with The
Crown Council of Ethiopia - with additional
images of Imperial Orders, Decorations and Medals

The Imperial Orders and
Decorations are listed above in order of precedence with one notable exception. The Order
of St. Anthony is considered separate. It is believed to be the oldest chivalric order in
the world, and is a body of knights and companions, to which appointments are made only
rarely and with distinct chivalric obligations.

As with all orders
of chivalry and State or Royal decorations in countries which employ them, some orders
fall into disuse or out of fashion, and new orders are from time-to-time created to
reflect the distinct form of recognition which a sovereign or the Royal or Imperial house
wishes to bestow. This is true of the Ethiopian orders. The Order of Solomon, for example,
is rarely given; the same applies to the Order of Solomon’s Seal, and the Order of
the Queen of Sheba. These orders are, however, and despite the rarity of their use, still
valid and official.

Some of the Orders,
Decorations and Medals carry the right of the recipient to use post-nominal initials
signifying the honour. This is not an Ethiopian custom, but rather an accommodation
permitted by the Crown Chancery for use in international situations to conform with
international practice.

The Order of SolomonThe
Order of Solomon was established initially as a collar by Ras Tafari Makonnen in
1922 — whilst he was still Regent under Empress Zauditu — “to be awarded to
foreign Kings who had the rank according to Emperor”3.
But it seems likely that the collar was not awarded until after his coronation as Emperor
in 1930. The Collar was originally envisaged by Emperor Haile Selassie, it is believed, as
the highest rank of the Order of Solomon’s Seal,
created by Emperor Yohannes IV in 1874, which was itself often referred
to as “the Order of Solomon”, but became a separate order which was awarded only
rarely.

The
Order was originally referred to as “The Cross of Solomon”, and even during
Menelik’s reign was in five classes plus “une categorie spéciale”,
according to authoritative accounts published in 1913.4 French
explorer Dr George Montandon, a graduate of the Société de Geographie of Paris, had
spent two years in Ethiopia’s Ghimirra region, in the country’s south-west, and
had extensively documented a wide range of natural and cultural phenomena. His paper, like
many published by the French, provides detailed and scholarly background on Ethiopian
history and geography not published in any other language. Dr Montandon said that Emperor
Yohannes created the order of the “Cross of Solomon” possibly at the instigation
of his Italian counsellor, Sr Naretti, and that he had created it in three classes,
initially. These were, initially, the Premier (or First) Grade (Fitagnia Maëreg ^); the Second Grade (Houlatagnia
Maëreg^); and the Third Grade (Sostagnia Maëreg^).

The
idea for a Grand Collar of the Grand Cross Order of the Cross of Solomon, specifically
designed to be given to foreign monarchs, came, according to Montandon’s 1913 paper,
from Sir J. L. Harrington, the British Minister to Ethiopia [“Vers cette même
époque fut adoptée, sur les conseils de Sir J. L. Harrington, Ministre
d’Angleterre, une catégorie spéciale de la grand croix de Salomon, la
grand’croix avec grand cordon vert, uniquement destinée aux souverains.”5

The concept and
design of this order may have been influenced by its Savoyard counterpart, the Order of
the Annunziata, which the Emperor Haile Selassie held from King Victor Emannuel III. Paris jeweller Arthus-Bertrand has apparently been the principal
maker of this Order.

The
Order of Solomon is limited to the Emperor, Empress, Crown Prince, Crown Princess,
President of the Crown Council, and Viceroy of Ethiopia, and reigning monarchs of any
religion. Having said that, Le’ul Ras Kassa Hailu, President of the Crown
Council (1941-1957) was the only Ethiopian apart from Alga-Worrach Asfa Wossen
(later Emperor Amha Selassie I), Prince Makonnen and Princess Tenagne
Work to be awarded the “Collar of the Seal of Solomon”. The Le’ul Ras was
given the honour in 1955.6

Recipients
have included Shah Reza Pahlavi of Iran, and Emperor Hirohito of Japan. The Order was also
bestowed, in 1945, on King Gustav V, of Sweden, and on
Swedish Crown Prince (as he then was) Gustaf Adolf.7

King George V, of the United
Kingdom, also received the Collar, in 1935, and his particular example of the Order’s
chain, medal and star is illustrated in the book, Royal Insignia.8
The chain has 44 square links of gold set with a Star of David, surrounded by a filigree
border. The suspension is set with a square-cut ruby. On 11 squares, the Ge’ez
inscription says: Amlakäna Haylenä Wäsawannä (^ Our God, Our Strength, Our Protector). The badge shows crowned
Lions of Judah supporting a Star of David with cross within, under an Imperial Ethiopian
crown. Left this is a gold badge, the tips set with eight pear-shaped diamonds, four
emeralds and three rubies. In the centre, on two oval platinum plates: on the left, a
pictorial representation of the phrase from Psalms 68, “Ethiopia shall reach her hand
unto God” (^)
with the text in Ge’ez around it to the left; on the right platinum plate is an
illustration of the Queen of Sheba meeting King Solomon, with the inscription “The
Queen of Sheba Came to Hear Solomon’s Wisdom” (^) around it to the right. The
two ovals are themselves surrounded by two branches of palm leaves.9
The breast star is the same as the badge, but without the suspension device.

The Order presented
to King George V may have been the most ornate example
produced. There are a number of variations of it, and there is some suggestion that it had
been intended that the star and badge were to have been (and in some cases may have been)
the same as what is now referred to as the Order of Solomon’s Seal [see below], the
sister order. However, the insignia evolved very differently in the Order of
Solomon’s Seal.

British sovereigns
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II have also received the Order, as did Queen Juliana of the
Netherlands.

Holders of the Order
may identify themselves with the use of the post-nominal initials KS or DS (Knight or Dame
of the Order of Solomon).

The Order of Solomon’s Seal The
Order of Solomon’s Seal (sometimes referred to as the “Order of King
Solomon’s Seal”10 or the “Order of the Seal of
Solomon” or the “Order of the Crown of Solomon”11,
and earlier — before the current collar Order of Solomon came into being — just
as the “Order of Solomon”) was founded by Emperor Yohannes IV in 1874, as noted above [see The
Order of Solomon]. The insignia comprised a badge and star. The badge — a
combination of a cross and a star of David — is a pendant from an emerald green
moiré sash. This sash is the same as for the Order of Solomon, but with the different
insignia (badge) and star. The star, badge and sash of Solomon’s Seal are below.
Paris jeweller Arthus-Bertrand has been the principal maker of the Order, although it was
also made by the Addis Ababa-based crown jeweller, B. A. Sevadjian, which, after several
generations of work on Imperial Orders and artefacts, was reportedly taken over by the
State during the current interregnum.

The
Order of Solomon’s Seal was frequently worn by Ethiopian sovereigns. Originally it
was reserved for members of the Imperial Family, heads of foreign states, and to
individuals who had rendered particularly meritorious service to the Throne.12
Among the foreign heads of state to receive the Order was King Paul of Greece, who was
invested with it in 1959 during the visit of Emperor Haile Selassie to Greece.13 The Order was bestowed on princes of the dynasty and foreign
princes. It was also always bestowed on the Abuna of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church
and very occasionally on international figures, including US President Dwight Eisenhower,
of the United States, and Earl Mountbatten of Burma. The Order was presented in its
original form — that is, the design instituted by its founder, King Yohannes IV — to King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. The Order in its original form had also
been bestowed upon Queen Victoria in 1897 for her Diamond Jubilee.

President Eisenhower is shown at left wearing the Order of Solomon's Seal,
and carrying a traditional Ethiopian shield and spear. With him is the famous Ethiopian
statesman, Ras Imru, a cousin and close friend of the Emperor, who served as Ambassador to
India and the U.S., and was also a member of the Crown Council.

The Order of Solomon’s Seal was frequently worn by Ethiopian
sovereigns. Originally it was reserved for members of the Imperial Family, heads of
foreign states, and to individuals who had rendered particularly meritorious service to
the Throne.12 Among the foreign heads of state to receive the
Order was King Paul of Greece, who was invested with it in 1959 during the visit of
Emperor Haile Selassie to Greece.13 The Order was bestowed on
princes of the dynasty and foreign princes. It was also always bestowed on the Abuna
of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and very occasionally on international figures, including
US President Dwight Eisenhower, of the United States, and Earl Mountbatten of Burma. The
Order was presented in its original form — that is, the design instituted by its
founder, King Yohannes IV — to King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. The Order in its original form had also
been bestowed upon Queen Victoria in 1897 for her Diamond Jubilee.

The President's Order of Solomon's Seal
is shown to the right.

Emperor
Haile Selassie in 1930 instituted the collar to the order as the highest form of honour in
the Imperial pantheon.14 [See The
Order of Solomon, above.] This then became the separate Order of Solomon, as
noted. Even so, there was often confusion and, indeed, a lack of official clarity in the
distinction between the Order of Solomon and the Order of Solomon’s Seal even in the
1930s. And today, the Paris jeweller, Arthus-Bertrand, refers to the Solomon’s Seal
order as the “Crown of Solomon”. In 1936, the two orders were listed together,
with the order being in a total of five grades: the Collar of Solomon (the Chain; now the
Order of Solomon); Grand Cordon (or Grand Cross) of Solomon with Plaque; Grand Officer of
(the Order of) Solomon; Commander of (the Order of) Solomon; and Knight or Chevalier of
(the Order of) Solomon.15 However, the Order today is awarded
only in the one grade: that of Knight Grand Cross.16

Holders of the Order
may identify themselves with the use of the post-nominal initials KSS (Knight of the Order
of Solomon’s Seal) or DSS (Dame of the Order of Solomon’s Seal).

The Order of the Queen of ShebaThe Order of the
Queen of Sheba was established in 1922 during the reign of Empress Zauditu and the Regency
of Ras Tafari, but does not appear to have been awarded — or was, at least,
little used — until the coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie I in 1930. The Order was originally intended for royal ladies.

“We...
had an order with a gold chain made called ‘The Queen of Sheba Order’ which is
awarded to the Queen Consort and to foreign queens,” Emperor Haile Selassie said in
his memoirs.17 However, by l950, the Order was being
conferred on presidents and prince consorts, usually with a special collar chain.
Recipients of the Order with collar include HM Queen Mary (wife of King George V, of the United Kingdom) in 1935, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh of the United Kingdom, President Charles De
Gaulle of France, President Dwight D. Eisenhower of the United States, and Emperor Bokassa
of Central African Empire. Queen Frederica, of Greece, was invested with the Grand Cross
of the Order in 1959, during Emperor Haile Selassie’s visit to Greece.18
HRH Prince Mohamed bin Talal, of Jordan, was
invested with the Order by Emperor Haile Selassie. Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands
received the Order with Collar.

The Collar of
the Order of the Queen of Sheba in gold, is shown left.

The sash, star and
badge of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Order of the Queen of Sheba is illustrated to the
right, in a photograph supplied by Spink, the Queen’s medallists, of London. Spink
has made the order, although Arthus-Bertrand has also made it. Significantly, however, new
copies of the set have recently appeared at auctions, marked as having been made by the
original manufacturer, B. A. Savadjian, in Addis Ababa. The coloured enamelling (noted
below) has been absent from the insignia of these sets. This modification was not
authorised. It is believed that either incomplete insignia were obtained from
Sevadjian’s facilities during the civil war, or from Imperial stores, and never
completed. Alternately, it is possible that the original Sevadjian dies have been obtained
illegally as a result of the upheaval of the civil war, and that counterfeit copies are
being produced.

US
President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Order of the Queen of Sheba may be viewed at The
Eisenhower Foundation, in Abilene, Kansas, in the US.

The Order continued to be
conferred, as well, on female royalty: princesses of the Imperial Family and foreign
princesses. In recent years, the Sheba has been given to dignitaries of the level of
Governor-General in some Commonwealth states.

The order today
comes in one class, and the insignia comprises a Star of David around a bust of the fabled
Queen, enamelled in emerald and amethyst colours. The sash is deep violet with border
stripes of emerald green.

Before
World War II, the Order was listed fifth in order of
precedence, after the Orders of Solomon (which subsequently became two separate orders),
the Trinity, Menelik II, and the Star of Ethiopia. Today, it
clearly ranks third in precedence after the Order of Solomon and the Order of
Solomon’s Seal. As well, when it was created, the Order of the Queen of Sheba was
issued in five grades: Grand Cordon (or Grand Cross) of the (Order of the) Queen of Sheba;
Grand Officer; Commander; Officer; and Member or Chevalier.19
No records can at present be obtained as to whether the Order was ever presented in other
than the Grand Cross form, but it is possible that some records still exist in the
archives which remain inaccessible in Addis Ababa.

It
is possible that the Order of the Queen of Sheba may have had its origins in, or taken
inspiration from, the Ethiopian Order of the Red Cross, founded by the Empress-consort (Itegé
Taitu) in 1901-1902.20 The insignia of the Order of the Red
Cross was, like the Order of Solomon, based on the Star of David (two overlapping
triangles), although the Red Cross was in silver; the Sheba in gold. The Order of the Red
Cross had the red cross of St. George superimposed upon it; the Sheba has the visage of
the Queen of Sabæ superimposed.21

Holders of the Order
of the Queen of Sheba may use the post-nominal initials GCQS (Grand Cross of the Order of
the Queen of Sheba).

The Order of the Holy TrinityThe Order of the
Holy Trinity was established by Emperor Haile Selassie I in 1930 for his coronation. The Order was generally limited to the
nobility, high clergy and a handful of courtiers.

The Order of the Trinity appears to have
been awarded to some of the Ethiopian regiments which resisted the occupation of 1936-41
and who took part in the liberation of the country; banners of some regiments have been
decorated with the cross of the Order and can be viewed at the Trinity Cathedral in Addis
Ababa. Werlich, in his Orders and Decorations of All Nations, noted that the Order
was “for outstanding service, civil or military, to the throne”, and that the
Order could be awarded to foreigners.22

The Order was
originally created in five grades: Knight Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer
and Member (or Chevalier).23 The Crown Council has restored
the Order to a one grade honour: that of Knight Grand Cross, with the addition of a Grand
Collar in certain extraordinary circumstances. The London medallists, Spink & Co., and
Paris jewellers Arthus-Bertrand, make the order, although Bertrand is the only maker of
the lapel rosettes of the Order.

The Order is bestowed by the
Crown on very distinguished individuals, Ethiopian and foreign, who have served the
Council in a variety of rôles as Special Advisors and as Envoys. The Order has also been
given to Chamberlains and Chancellors of Royal Houses. The post-nominal identifying
initials for this order are GCHT. Holders of the Grand Collar append an asterisk to the
initials — GCHT* — to signify the additional honour.

Recent foreign
recipients of the Trinity — after the revolution — include, for example, Gen.
William Westmoreland, the US military leader who led US forces during the Vietnam War. He
was a close friend of Emperor Haile Selassie. whom he visited in Ethiopia in 1971 as his
guest. He was installed in 1998 as Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Holy Trinity.
Among the recent conferrals of Knight Grand Cross of the Holy Trinity with Grand Collar
was, in 1998, the Afe-Negus of Ethiopia, Teshome Haile Mariam, who served as Afe-Negus
to HIM Emperor Haile Selassie I and HIM Emperor Amha Selassie I, and subsequently to the Crown Council of Ethiopia, from its
reconstitution in 1993. He was a former Chief Justice of Ethiopia and Ambassador to the
United States. As well, noted Ethiopian-born British explorer Sir Wilfred Thesiger, KBE,
DSO, CSE, who had received the Commander of the Order of the Star of Ethiopia at the
Coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1930, was in 1998 made Knight Grand Cross of the
Holy Trinity with Grand Collar. HIH Grand Duke
George of Russia received the GCHT with Grand Collar in 1998.

The Order of Emperor Menelik IIThe
Order of Emperor Menelik II was founded in 1924 by the Regent, Ras
Tafari Makonnen, during the reign of Empress Zauditu, and is one of the most attractive of
the Imperial Orders. It is also sometimes referred to as “The Order of the Lion of
Judah”24 or as “The Order of the Ethiopian
Lion”; indeed, these names appear to have applied to what was essentially one
comprehensive honour. In 1996, the Crown Council decided to end this anomaly by
establishing two separate Orders with distinct insignia and ribands: the old insignia
designated for Menelik and the new design for the Lion. Thus both Orders (Emperor Menelik II and the Ethiopian Lion) can be said to have been founded in 1924
with modification into two Orders in 1996. Arthus-Bertrand, in Paris, has traditionally
made the Order, while Spink, in London, has made the Order of the Ethiopian Lion.

The Order has always been in five grades
of Knight Grand Cross, Knight Commander, Commander, Officer and Member, and is made by the
Paris firm of Arthus-Bertrand. It is probable that the design of the Order was influenced
by the Montenegrin Order of Danilo which had passed into abeyance with the fall of the
kingdom and its absorption into the United Kingdom of Yugoslavia. This Order was also made
by Arthus-Bertrand in Paris.

The Order of Menelik II (left), created by the
then-Regent, Ras Tafari Makonnen, in 1924 in honour of the late Emperor, was, with the
Trinity created at the same time, an "order of very high rank", according to
Emperor Haile Selassie's memoirs.

The
Order of Menelik was sparingly awarded in the higher grades: senior officers of the armed
forces and high court officials were fortunate to retire with a Grand Cross of the Order
and it may have been the highest Order available to prime ministers. It is known to have
been presented to, among others, Prince Bertil, of Sweden, in 1945.25

The green and red
enamel cross depicts the Ethiopian Lion and is suspended from a yellow riband bordered
with the Ethiopian tricolour of green, yellow and red. Around the Imperial Lion are the
words in Ge‘ez: Mo’a Anbasa Z. Y. (^), an abbreviation for the phrase
“The Lion of the Tribe of Judah hath conquered”: Mo’a Anbessa Zemene
Gede Yehuda(^)
which appears on the Imperial Crest, the Crown Council Crest, and on the Throne of Solomon
itself.

The various grades
of the Order are represented by the use of the following post-nominal initials: GCEM
(Grand Cross), GOEM (Knight Commander), CEM (Commander), OEM (Officer), and MEM (Member).

The Order of Emperor Haile Selassie IThe Crown Council
established the Order of Emperor Haile Selassie I to commemorate the anniversary of His Imperial Majesty’s One
Hundredth Birthday, which occurred July 23, 1992. The Order may be conferred with Grand
Collar. The Order is primarily intended to recognise outstanding Pan-Africanists and
contributors to Pan-African heritage, and ranks equally with the Order of the Menelik II in precedence. In particular, the Order has been conferred on
African kings and presidents and on African and Caribbean prime ministers.

The insignia comprises
a cross potent bearing a full colour portrait of Emperor Haile Selassie and is pendant
from a sky blue sash bordered in the Ethiopian tricolour of green, yellow and red.

The internationally
acclaimed musician Bob Marley (Birhane Selassie) received the Order posthumously, along
with the title of bitwoded, the equivalent of the rank of Count in court circles.

Holders of the Grand
Collar rank of the Order may use the post-nominal initials GCHS; holders of the normal
rank of the Order may use the post-nominal initials OHS.

The Order of the Ethiopian LionThe Order of the
Ethiopian Lion has its origins in the Order of Menelik II and acquired Insignia of its own in March 1996 on the
one-hundredth anniversary of the Victory of Adwa. The Order may be said to rank equally
with the Order of Emperor Menelik II, from which it
derived, and the Order of Haile Selassie I.

The Order comprises
five grades: Knight Grand Cordon, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer and Member. The Order
is bestowed for distinguished and meritorious service to the Crown Council and is under
the personal Grand Mastership of Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie. The Order
has been accorded to Christians and Moslems and thus departs from most other Imperial
Orders in that there is no overt religious symbolism. Ambassadors, Ministers, Staff
Officers, Academicians and other professionals have received the Order with a
preponderance of conferrals to Africa, the Caribbean and Middle East.

London medallist
Spink has made the Order, although it is now made by the Crown Medallist, Bezant.

The Insignia depicts the Lion of Ethiopia
on a circular shield which in turn is engraved with rays of the sun. The Julian calendar
(ie: Ethiopian calendar) dates “1889” and “1933” (equivalent to the
Gregorian calendar dates 1896 and 1941) appear in Amharic below the lion, commemorating
two years when Ethiopia resisted European colonialism. On the original striking of the
Order, the dates appeared with the Gregorian calendar dates in Western script. The
Imperial Crown is attached to the badge by way of an enamelled bow in the colours of the
Ethiopian tricolour. The riband is a rich hue of salmon pink with the tricolour of green,
gold and red in the centre.

It is interesting to note that
the Imperial Lion appears on the Imperial Order of the Lion facing left, instead of the
more customary right-facing position. This is to indicate that the Order, although it had
its origins in the Order of Emperor Menelik II, was given its independent status when the Crown was in exile. The
left-facing lion is meant to show that the Order was created when Ethiopia was in a
condition of adversity and distress, and it honors those who fought for Ethiopia’s
reconstruction and resurrection during this period.

Holders of the order
may identify their award with the use of the following post-nominal initials: GCEL (Knight
Grand Cordon); GOEL (Grand Officer); CEL (Commander); Officer (OEL); and Member (MEL).

The Order of the Star of EthiopiaThe
Order of the Star of Ethiopia was founded by Emperor Menelik II in 1884-85, in his capacity as Negus of Shoa,26
and before he became Emperor of Ethiopia (in 1889). It is one of the older awards in the
Imperial pantheon. It was originally awarded, according to Montandon, in five levels, plus
une catégorie speciale. However, at that time, it was listed as being in three
classes, with two sub-grades. The First Class was the Grand Cross; the Second Class grade
of Grand Officer was Second Class avec plaque; the Second Class grade of Commander,
was without the plaque; the Third Class grade of Officer was with rosette; the
Third Class grade of Chevalier (or Member, in the English parlance) was without the
rosette. It would seem that there was a conscious effort at the time to emulate the French
structure as indicated by the Legion d’Honneur.

Domenico
Guadagnini, in his Storia degli Ordini Vigenti ed Estinti, noted that the five
grades of the Order were named as: Negus (Knight Grand Cross, for sovereigns); Ras
(Knight Grand Officer, for princes); Dje Asmache (Knight Commander); KagueAsmache
(Knight Officer); and Gra Asmache (Knight) [Guadagnini’s spellings]. He also
noted that the insignia of a Knight Officer, worn on the breast, showed a five-pointed
star, joined across the bottom, similar to the emblem in the medal of the rank of Member
of the Order today, but without the circular medal surrounding it. The insignia for Knight
Officer was suspended from what he called “a characteristic Ethiopian coronet”
which was, in fact, a Europeanised coronet, with the riband attached through a loop atop
the coronet. The insignia of a Knight Commander, suspended from a neck riband, showed an
eight-pointed star in white gold, again surmounted by the coronet and a loop for the
riband.27 It seems likely that the Order was originally given
to Ethiopian recipients in the ranks suggested by Guadagnini, although the protocol and
the insignia have changed somewhat today. The medal for the grade of Member of the Order
of the Star (shown below) is far more simple than before. The Knight Grand Cross version,
shown below, which was the one awarded to the Duke of Harar, is, although now Westernised,
far more elaborate, of a pattern similar to the original design. The Grand Cross level
uses the much more complex star as its motif.

Star of
Ethiopia: rank of Commander. (right)

The
Order of the Star, sometimes referred to as the Order of the Star of Honour of Ethiopia,
has been awarded sparingly, but to notable Imperial and military figures, such as HH Prince Ras Kassa Hailu, a lifelong friend of Emperor Haile
Selassie and a key figure in the Imperial Ethiopian Army, who was presented the Order in
its highest form of Knight Grand Cross and Collar; and HH Prince Ras Asserate Kassa, who served as a Colonel in the
Imperial Army, as governor-general of various regions, and as Vice-President and President
of the Senate (awarded the Order of Knight Grand Cross of the Star of Honour).28

The Cordon (Sash)
and Star of the Order of the Star of Honour of Ethiopia. This example (left) was presented
to HIH the First Duke of Harar.

Recipients of
the Grand Cross of the Order included Ambassador Phaidon Anninos-Kavallieratos, the Greek
Chief of Protocol, and Amb. Panayotis Rellas, Greek Ambassador to Addis Ababa, during the
visit by Emperor Haile Selassie to Greece in 1959.29 Earlier,
in 1955, four Greek officials, three of them from the Army, were made Officer, Commander
and Knights, respectively of the Order.

In recent years,
since the revolution, the Order of the Star has continued to be awarded, including the
Award to Maj.-Gen. Stanhope S. Spears, for example, of the United States, for his efforts
to aid the cause of the Crown.

The Order still comprises five grades: Knight Grand Cross, Grand
Officer, Commander, Officer and Member. It is no longer awarded with Collar. In its
earlier incarnations, under Emperors Menelik and Haile Selassie, some Grand Crosses were
jewel embellished when given to foreign dignitaries. Arthus-Bertrand, in Paris, currently
makes the Order.

The design of the Order is in the
Ethiopian traditional filigree pattern, based on the shield. The Order has never been
enamelled, and some original pieces were solid gold. The Order was originally made in
Ethiopia by B. A. Sevadjian of Addis Ababa. During the Emperor’s exile in England,
the Order was made by Mappin & Webb (1936-41) in London.

The
riband of the Order is in equal thirds of the tricolour: (from right) red, yellow and
green. The original riband, when the order was created, was in equal vertical stripes of
blue, yellow, green and red,30 but were replaced, probably
before the turn of the century, by the national tricolour.

Sir Wilfred Thesiger received the Order with the rank of
Commander from Emperor Haile Selassie in 1930, when he attended the coronation.

Emperor Amha Selassie I awarded the Order of the Star quite liberally during the 1980s.

Holders of the various grades of
the Order may identify themselves by the use of the post-nominal initials: GCSE (Grand
Cross), GOSE (Grand Officer), CSE (Commander), OSE (Officer), MSE (Member).

The Order of the Star of Ethiopia in the rank of
Member of the Order (MSE) (pictured left).

The Order of St. AnthonyThe
Order of St. Anthony is believed to be one of the oldest Orders of Chivalry in the world,
and stands apart from the other chivalric, State and Imperial orders. It was founded as a
religious Order of Knighthood by the Negus known in the West as “Prestor
John” in the year 370 CE. The Order was created following the
death of St. Anthony the Hermit in 357 or 358 CE, when many of his disciples went to live
in austerity in the desert until eventually submitting to the monastical rule of St. Basil
and moving to monasteries where they retained the “title and habit of St.
Anthony”. According to traditional texts on the subject: “It is said, that about
the year of our Lord 370, John Emperor of Æthiopia (commonly called Prester John) erected
these Monks into a Religious Order of Knighthood, under the Title and Protection of St.
Anthony, Patron of His Empires and bestowed upon them great Revenues and many Privileges.
And thus being instituted Knights, they received the aforesaid Rule of St. Basil, and
submitted to his Constitutions.”31

An Order of the same name existed later in Italy, France and Spain
and these derivations of the Order originated in Constantinople. The objects of both
Orders — the Ethiopian and the Constantinople — were the defence of the
Christian faith. The knights wore a black gown lined with blue, having a blue cross fixed
to the breast comprised of three arms. It is said that the senior Knights wore a double
cross of the same colour.32 Traditionally, “the chief
Seat of the Order is in the Isle of Meroé [now in the Sudan], where the Abbots both
spiritual and temporal have their residence, but in other parts of Æthiopia they have a
very great number of Convents and Monasteries, and not less than two Millions of annual
Revenue”.33

The Order today has
a badge consisting of an Ethiopian cross in royal blue and edged with a gold rim, and
surmounted by a gold Imperial Ethiopian crown. The Order is in two grades: the Knight
Grand Cross, and Companion. (pictured right)

The Order of St.
Anthony has as its current Sovereign Grand Master and Captain-General His Imperial
Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile Selassie, the President of the Crown Council
of Ethiopia. Knights of this Order are inducted only rarely and their duties remain
chivalric in nature. The Members of the Order may identify themselves with the
post-nominal initials: KGCA (Knight Grand Cross); and CA (Companion of the Order of St.
Anthony).

The Military Medal of Merit of the Order of St. GeorgeThe Military Medal
of Merit of the Order of St. George, sometimes referred to merely as the Military Medal of
St. George, or the Medal of Merit of St. George, is the premier decoration for military
service available to the Crown. The Military Medal of Merit replaces, and basically grew
out of, the Military Medal of Menelik II, created in
1901-1902 by Emperor Menelik II. It was worn by the first Duke of Harar
first in order of precedence of his medals, followed by the Distinguished Military Medal
of Haile Selassie the First [see below]. The Duke’s decoration was the result of his
extensive and highly successful military service against the Italians during the 1935-1941
War. He received the decoration twice (hence the bronze palm leaf on the riband).

The Crown Prince at
the time (later Emperor Amha Selassie I), Asfa Wossen,
also received the Military Medal of Merit of the Order of St. George, which he wore 10th
in order of precedence on his riband bar, wearing the Distinguished Military Medal of
Haile Selassie the First in eighth place.

It is not known
whether the medal was ever awarded to any foreign nationals, but under the Chancery rules,
there is nothing which precludes this. The Military Medal of Merit of the Order of St.
George is for outstanding military service, including acts of extreme gallantry or for
distinguished leadership during hostilities, and is awarded very rarely. None have been
issued since the death of Emperor Haile Selassie.

The medal is bronze
in the form of a trilobe, with the obverse showing St. George slaying the dragon,
surrounded by text in Ge’ez. The medal is linked by a Trinity (three-pointed) star to
a loop which attaches to a riband which is broken horizontally into two equal colours.
Where a “bar” is awarded to the medal — that is, the recipient is awarded
the medal for a second time — a bronze palm leaf is afixed to the riband at the
joining point of the two colours. Holders of the decoration may use the post-nominal
initials MMM.

The Distinguished Military Medal of
the Emperor Haile Selassie the First [obverse left, reverse right], showing the palm leaf attachment on the riband.

The Distinguished Military Medal of Haile Selassie the
FirstThe Distinguished
Military Medal of Haile Selassie the First, sometimes known as the Medal of Merit of Haile
Selassie the First, was created by the Emperor during the campaign against the Italians
who had overrun Ethiopia from October 3, 1935, to 1941. The decoration was presented to
Ethiopians and, on rare occasions, to foreigners who fought in the campaigns for
Ethiopia’s freedom. The medal was awarded for both single acts of extreme gallantry
and for protracted military service of a distinguished nature.

The medal is bronze
in the form of a trilobe, with the obverse showing a traditional portrait of Emperor Haile
Selassie wearing the Ethiopian Crown, and with the inscription in Ge’ez “Haile
Selassie the First”. The reverse has the three-pointed Star of the Trinity
surmounting a pair of crossed batons, and the medal’s shape — like three
overlapping circles — is designed to accommodate that. The 32mm wide riband is
attached to the medal by a ring atop a horizontal oval laurel wreath. The riband itself is
pale green in the top half and red in the lower half. A second award of the medal was
signified by the addition of a palm leaf in bronze, placed horizontally across the riband
where the red and green meet.

Emperor Haile
Selassie wore the Distinguished Military Medal himself, ranking it sixth in order of
precedence after the great State orders (Solomon’s Seal, the Queen of Sheba, the Holy
Trinity, the Menelik II, and the Star), a real indication of the
value of the DMM. His son, as Crown Prince Asfa Wossen, wore the DMM in eighth place on
his riband bar.

The DMM continues to
be a current decoration within the Imperial gift, although, at press time, the Crown
Council had not authorised the striking of a new batch of the medal. It is understood that
such a striking was being considered to recognise those Ethiopians who fought with great
valour against the Dergue which overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie, while at the same
time maintaining the fight for Ethiopian unity.

The
medal was originally struck by Mappin & Webb, in London. Dennis Gill’s otherwise
outstanding book on the coinage of Ethiopia shows the DMM without riband, incorrectly
identifying it as “a bronze coronation medal” of Emperor Haile Selassie.34 Holders of the medal may use the post-nominal initials DMM.

The Gold Medal of Menelik II The
Gold Medal of Menelik II was one of the major medals which the
Crown could dispense, and was listed as a current decoration in 1936.35
However no record of its award can be found in recent years, and the Crown Council has no
plans at this time to issue this decoration. It was, however, a very senior decoration,
ranking just behind the two major military gallantry awards.

The Gold Medal of Haile Selassie IThe
Gold Medal of Haile Selassie I was created by Emperor Haile Selassie I to provide a (then) current senior decoration of the same rank as
the Gold Medal of Menelik II. The Gold Medal was listed as a current
decoration in 1936.36 It was awarded sparingly, however. For
example, it was awarded to the first Duke of Harar, who was extremely active in military
operations against the Italian invaders (1935-1941), but the same medal was not given to
his older brother, Crown Prince Asfa Wossen, who was also active in this campaign.

The Silver Medal of Menelik IIThe
Silver Medal of Menelik II was one of the significant decorations
within the Crown’s gift, theoretically ranking just behind the Gold Medal of Haile
Selassie I (after that medal was introduced during
the reign of Haile Selassie).37 There is no record, however,
that a recipient would be likely to receive both the Menelik and the Haile Selassie
medals, so the matter of precedence scarcely, if ever, would arise. When it was originally
created, it was to rank second to the Menelik II Gold Medal [see above]. No recent awards have been made of this
decoration, and the Crown Council currently has no plans to re-issue it.

The Silver Medal of Haile Selassie IThe
Silver Medal of Haile Selassie I was created as the
second tier of the Gold Medal of Haile Selassie I, in the same manner as the Gold and Silver Medals of Menelik II were created [see above]. It was listed in 1936 as one of the
current decorations of the Crown.38 There are no records
currently available to indicate who may have received this decoration. The Medal, like its
counterpart Gold Medal and the Gold and Silver Medals of Menelik II, is still a current and valid decoration. However, the Crown
Council has no plans at this stage to award this decoration.

The Lalibela CrossThe Lalibela Cross
was established on July 23, 1997, as a special award to recognise service to Ethiopia, for
charitable endeavours and volunteer work in fields such as health, education, food and
agriculture.

The Cross is simple
in design, of polished silver and silver gilt and is suspended from a burgundy riband with
a gold stripe down the centre.

Recipients of the
Medal may use the post-nominal initials LC.

The Refugees’ MedalThe
Refugees’ Medal was created by Emperor Haile Selassie I during or following the Italian invasion of Ethiopia (1935-1941),
and was intended to acknowledge those who had assisted the enormous number of refugees
which that war created. The first Duke of Harar was actively involved in repelling the
Italians and worked strenuously to assist the Ethiopians displaced by the war, and was, as
a result, awarded the Refugees’ Medal no less than five times.39

The
Refugees’ Medal is a bronze circular medal about 35mm in diameter, showing on its
face Emperor Haile Selassie I, bareheaded, in a circle above the
three-pointed Trinity star (sometimes called the Bethlehem star), with an inscription in
Amharic on each side. The date “1935” is shown on the obverse, along with
the words in Amharic: “The star led them”. The reverse shows five lines
of Amharic: “Hope established in faith is a proven instrument of victory”.
The riband is a bright, dark blue with the Ethiopian tricolour of green, yellow and red
running narrowly down each side, with the green outermost.40
Subsequent awards of the medal to the same recipient are indicated by the addition of a
bronze palm leaf across the riband. The medal is a current decoration within the
Crown’s gift, although no recent issuances have been made of it. Given the refugee
problems caused by the coup d’etat of the Dergue in 1974, and the
subsequent civil war and the 1998 war with Eritrea, the Crown Council feels that it would
be appropriate to re-issue the Refugees’ Medal to recognise recent outstanding
efforts on behalf of displaced peoples.41 The medal carries
no post-nominal initials.

The Refugees' Medal
is pictured left.

The Emperor Haile Selassie I & Empress Menen Celebration Medal The Emperor Haile
Selassie I & Empress Menen Celebration Medal has
been authorised for bestowal, during the interregnum, by the President of the Crown
Council (and in normal times by the Emperor) on any individual who has helped to maintain
the legacy of Their late Imperial Majesties. It is a re-issue of the Silver Jubilee Medal
(1955) bearing the Emperor’s and Empress’s joint portraits with the Jubilee
Palace depicted on the reverse. The Medal is executed in sterling silver, and is made in
Paris by Arthus-Bertrand. The riband is dark violet moiré. The Award carries no
post-nominal initials.

The Centenary of the Victory of Adwa
Meda;: the example on the left shows the medal with the Royal riband; in the centre is the
medal with the Diplomatic riband. The reverse of the medal is shown on the right.

The Medal was
authorised for bestowal beyond the centenary anniversary of March 2, 1996.

The Medal is gilded
and bears the portrait of Emperor Menelik II wearing the Imperial crown. There are two ribands: Royal and
Diplomatic. The Royal Riband is purple with yellow borders whilst the Diplomatic Riband is
in the Ethiopian tricolour with a centre stripe of black. The reverse bears the Imperial
Lion. The Royal Riband is restricted to members of the Imperial Family and to foreign
royalty and is violet with gold edges. Both ribands bear a circular Imperial Lion device
which is bronze-gilded.

The first minting of
the medal took place in 1996, when 150 were struck by Spink, in London. The second minting
of the medal was authorized by the Crown Council on the 103rd anniversary of the Battle,
on March 2, 1999. With the second striking, however, a significant change was made to the
design on the medal: the Imperial Ethiopian Lion, which had been left-facing on the first
striking, was transformed to be right-facing on the 1999 striking.

The Centenary Medal
has been bestowed on royalty, presidents, ministers, ambassadors, military officers and
friends of Ethiopia including African and Caribbean scholars and liberation fighters.

The Victory of Adwa
medals are presented in person by the Chairman of the Crown Council, His Imperial Highness
Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile Selassie, grandson of His Imperial Majesty Emperor
Haile Selassie; or by the Viceroy, His Imperial Highness Prince Bekere Fikre-Selassie,
great-grandson of Emperor Haile Selassie. On occasion, Adwa medals have been presented by
the Special Representative of the aforementioned princes, and the medal is presented in a
navy blue and gold leather case. [See Adwa page for a brief history of the Battle of Adwa.] The medal carries
no post-nominal initials.

The Medal of ScholarshipThe Medal of
Scholarship, originated in 1959 by Emperor Haile Selassie, primarily to recognise
teachers, has been sustained by the Crown Council to recognise the achievement of
Ethiopians, and those teaching in Ethiopia or involved in Ethiopian scholarship, the arts
or science.

The
oval-shaped medal shows on its obverse centre an open book, with stems of corn or wheat on
either side, and with a rising sun above clouds situated above the book.42
Surmounting this is a Crown topped with a small cross. An inscription in Amharic surrounds
the image: “Education is the laurel of the wise man”. At the foot of the
obverse, in Amharic, is the date 1952 [Ethiopian calendar]. The medal is joined to its
riband by a small Imperial crown and fixed loop. The reverse features Amharic text around
the top of the Medal, saying “Emperor Haile Selassie I, and at its base the words, in Amharic, “Scholarship
Medal” or “Teachers Medal”, depending on the translation. Within
the surrounding text is the three-pointed cross of the Trinity within a trilobe pattern.
At the base of the design, in Ge‘ez, are the words “Go and Teach”.
The medal is in a silver finish, and the riband is light green with two vertical stripes
of rich purple. The award carries no post-nominal initials.

The Scholarship Medal pictured left.

The Royal Medal of the LionThe Royal Medal of
the Lion is not connected with the Order of the Lion. The Medal is bestowed at the
discretion of hih Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie and is for
loyal and faithful service to his person. As a result, the medal is not within the gift of
the Crown Council, but rather is a decoration awarded by Prince Ermias personally. His
authority to issue medals stems from his function as de facto guardian of the Crown
(President of the Crown Council).

The medal is
bestowed on individuals of any nationality, sex or religion.

The Medal is of polished silver in the
traditional circular style, 35mm in diameter, and depicts on the obverse the Imperial Lion
surmounted by the letter , the first
letter of Prince Ermias’s name in Amharic, and above that the Prince’s Crown.
The legend “For Faithful and Good Service” (^) appears in
Ge‘ez around the top of the design, and the word “Ethiopia” (^) in Amharic at the base.

The Royal Medal of the Lion pictured right.

The riband,
suspended from a horizontal bar affixed atop the medal, is predominantly black with
borders in the Ethiopian tricolour, arranged, from the outside, in red, green and yellow
bands.

Other
medals have been struck by Imperial instruction. Perhaps one of the most important of
those medals not currently issued is the Military Medal of Menelik II, which has basically been replaced by the Military Medal
of Merit of the Order of St. George. Emperor Menelik’s original Military Medal,
created in 1901-1902, was principally given to military figures in the immediate entourage
of the Emperor.43

The Star of Victory: The medal
commemorates Ethiopia's victory over Mussolini's forces in 1941. The obverse is in
Amharic; the reverse is in English, recognising Britain's rôle in helping to oust the
invading force.

Equally,
the little-discussed Ethiopian Order of the Red Cross, is significant in
that it was, like the Military Medal, created in 1901-1902, under the patronage of the
Empress,44 and employed the same insignia as the Red Cross
symbol employed by the Swiss-founded medical relief agency. In the original version of the
Order, the cross surmounted a silver Star of David.45 Later,
according to HH Prince Asfa-Wossen Asserate, the Order
showed the Red Cross overlain with the Imperial Ethiopian Lion, and with the Crown of
Ethiopia atop the Cross.

Also of note was the
medal struck to commemorate the end of the Korean War. Arthus-Bertrand, in Paris, made
that particular medal, as did C.C. Sporrong & Co., of Sweden. That silver medal is in
the shape of a Coptic cross with an Imperial Crown surmounting the medal. Included on the
inscription are the words “Korea 1943 [Ethiopian calendar], year of mercy”.

The Star of
Victory 1941 medal was issued after the defeat of the Italians in 1941. The medal
was made by Mappin & Webb, in London, and is in the shape of a Coptic Cross,
surmounted by an Imperial Crown. The Star of the Trinity is in high relief in the centre.
A loop is attached to the top of the medal, with a hanger, and a multi-striped red, yellow
and green riband. The inscription in Amharic on the medal reads: “Star of Victory
1933 [Ethiopian calendar]. Unforgettable Achievement” and on the reverse
“Star of Victory 1941”.

The
first Duke of Harar, who was active during the conflict, had the medal fourth in order of
precedence of his campaign decortions, after the Military Medal of the Order of St.
George, the Distinguished Military Medal of Haile Selassie I, and the Gold Medal of Haile Selassie I.46

Subsequently, in
1966, a medal was issued for (and entitled) the 25th Anniversary of the Victory of 1933.
[The date is in the Ethiopian calendar.] This silver medal shows,
on the obverse, the standing figure of Emperor Haile Selassie raising the Ethiopian flag
at Omedla, where he had re-entered Ethiopia from the Sudan in 1941. In Amharic, it has the
inscription “1933 [Ethiopian calendar], year of mercy. Victory 25th Year
Commemoration”, and in the centre, “Omedla”. The reverse has the
inscription in English “25th Anniversary of the Victory of 1941” around the outside, with “1966” at the bottom. In the
centre is a graphic of the war memorial to the Ethiopian dead. The circular medal is
surmounted by an Imperial crown, topped by a circular loop for the riband. The riband is
bright orange with a white stripe down the centre.

25th Anniversary of the Victory of 1933 Medal pictured left.

The Haile
Selassie I Prize Medal: A gold medal was also struck by Spink, in London, for the Haile
Selassie I Prize. Some 60 to 80 of these were
minted, using the distinctively-coloured Ethiopian gold. Emperor Haile Selassie donated a
considerable number of his personal assets, including properties, to fund this Prize, and
noted: “We have established this chartered and completely independent organisation
[The Haile Selassie I Prize Trust] by donating Our personal
estates and appointing distinguished officials as Trustees to ensure the promotion and
encouragement of activities and proficiencies of the Ethiopian people in the diversified
fields of Amharic literature, fine arts, agriculture, industry, educational activities and
humanitarian activities.”

“Our desire to
encourage outstanding contributions transcends the boundaries of Our Empire. The
advancement of Ethiopia is not Our sole interest. The African Research Award and the
Empress Menen Award are therefore intended to provide strong incentives throughout the
Continent of Africa and the world at large.”

The Awards were
granted with a substantial cash grant, as well as the valuable and attractive collar
medal. Prime Minister Tsehafe Tezaz Aklilu Habte Wold, chairman of the HS I Prize Trust,
said in 1973: “In the course of the nine years since the institution was established,
29 National, 18 International, and two Empress Menen Awards were made in the fields that
the Prize Trust encourages.”

The
properties donated by the In 1974, the winners included Prof. Edward Ullendorf, the man
who later translated Emperor Haile Selassie’s autobiography. His award was for his
work in Ethiopian studies. Fitawrari Amde Aberra won the award in the field of
agriculture, and Liqe Tebebt Aklile Berhan Wolde Qurqos won the Award for
educational activities.

Emperor to the Trust
Fund theoretically remain its property, and steps are being taken by the Crown Council to
restore the Fund and the Prize to operation once again.

Significantly, the
current Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, was a recipient of a scholarship from
the Haile Selassie Prize Trust, as were many others. It is to be noted that the Emperor
also donated the Genete Leul Palace to establish the Haile Selassie I University

The Haile Selassie I Prize medal, an
international award which may yet be revived as an important recognition of intellectual
accomplishment (right).

There
were other commemorative medals issued during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie. The
Franklin Mint, of the United States, struck three medals in 1967 to commemorate the 75th
birthday of the Emperor. They were, Dennis Gill noted,47
distributed through the Ethiopian Pavillion at that year’s Montreal World’s
Fair. One was struck in .750 gold to present to the Emperor; 400 .999 fine silver pieces
were struck and numbered and were sold in 200 sets of two pieces each. But the Franklin
Mint medallions were not designed to be presented as recognition for achievement or
service; rather, they were merely commemorative.

The Eritrean Medal of Haile Selassie I: Another medal issued in two grades — silver and
bronze — was struck during the Emperor Haile Selassie period to commemorate the ties
between Ethiopia and Eritrea. The two medals are identical save for the finish, and both
have a broad riband of yellow with a small stripe of green down the left side, and a small
band of red down the right side: the traditional Ethiopian colours. The circular medal,
about 38mm in diameter, is surmounted by an affixed Imperial Crown, with the loop for the
riband behind the crown. The text on the face, around a portrait of a bare-headed Emperor
Haile Selassie, is in Amharic: “no-one can separate”. The text on the
reverse, What nature has bound together, “image of two women (one Crowned)
embracing, to This bone is of my bone”, — encircling an represent
Ethiopia and Eritrea — is in Ge‘ez.48 The year
“1945” (Ethiopian calendar) is shown at the bottom of the design.

The Coronation Medal of Emperor Haile Selassie I was
issued to celebrate the 1930 accession of the Emperor to the Throne. This silver medal
features a profile of the Emperor, in coronation attire and Imperial Crown, facing to the
left. The inscription around the front of the obverse says “Haile Selassie the
First” in Ge‘ez. The reverse has text — “Ethiopia Shall Reach
Her Hand Unto God”, the line from Psalm 68, the Song of David, from the Old
Testament of the Bible — in Ge‘ez around the medal, which in the centre shows a
trilobe pattern with a small Trinity star toward the bottom and ornamentation in the
centre.49

The
Coronation Medal, pictured left

The first Duke
of Harar, one of the many recipients of the Coronation Medal, wore it in sixth rank with
his campaign medals.50 The medal is, of course, still
currently recognised, but was issued only at the time of the Coronation.

1 Conversations between the author and the Afe-Negus during 1997, and confirmed by
the 1998 statement by Afe-Negus Teshome Haile-Mariam.

2 The Royal Medal of the Lion, while sanctioned by the Crown Council, comes under the
personal gift of HIH Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie
Haile-Selassie directly, as a personal decoration. It is not an Imperial decoration, but a
Royal one.

8 Patterson, Stephen. Royal Insignia. British and Foreign Orders of Chivalry From the
Royal Collection. London, 1996: Merrell Holberton Publishers. pp.176-179.

9 The British book, Royal Insignia, by Stephen Patterson, which is the definitive
work on the British and Foreign Orders of Chivalry from the [British] Royal Collection,
said on page 176 that the right oval showed Ethiopia handing divine authority to the
King-elect. This, as noted above, is incorrect; the oval picture shows the Queen of Sheba
coming to hear the wisdom of Solomon.

16Le’ul Ras Asserate Kassa, President of the Crown Council from 1972 to 1974,
was a Grand Officer of the Order of Solomon (now clearly known as Solomon’s Seal). He
was also Grand Cross/Grand Cordon holder of the Orders of Trinity, Menelik II, and the Star of Honour of Ethiopia (now Star of Ethiopia). He was
the last President of the Crown Council before the 1974 coup and revolution.

21 Later versions of the Order of the Red Cross were different: the Order showed the Red
Cross with the Imperial Lion of Ethiopia across it, and with the Imperial Crown atop the
cross. Source: HH Prince Asfa-Wossen Asserate.